


The Divide

by Skyepilot



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Angst, F/M, First Kiss, Flirting, Friends to Lovers, Future Fic, Inhumans (Marvel), Love, Phil Coulson loves Daisy Johnson, Skye | Daisy Johnson's Superpowers, Sokovia Accords, Speculation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-01
Updated: 2016-11-01
Packaged: 2018-08-28 13:01:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,205
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8446909
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skyepilot/pseuds/Skyepilot
Summary: Speculative fic post 4x05.  Coulson gets Daisy back and then lets her go.





	

It's a bumpy ride back to the Playground. In more ways than one.

"I guess you do have something to lose."

She flicks her eyes over at him, then narrows them, as he steps closer, holding onto the strap in the cargo hold, lowering his voice.

"Told you we're not so different."

"I'm not SHIELD anymore," she reminds him, leaning a little closer. "When this is over, I'm-"

"You tryin' to run from it?" He lets out a scornful laugh. "Must be nice. Never even occurred to me to walk away."

"Look, don't pretend you know me, okay?"

She doesn't have family, not like he does. Not anymore.

And SHIELD can't be her family. They wouldn't survive her trail of bodies.

He wants revenge, but he's made a deal.

She hasn't, and death still follows her.

Robbie straightens as the Quinjet lands, and goes quiet as Coulson, then May, start to file past them.

He stares back at Coulson's benign expression as he briefly makes eye contact.

She keeps her eyes low, and then waits until he's passed them to stare down Robbie.

"Like I said," he starts in again.

"It's not like that."

"Girl, I don't know what you think it's like. But him?" he tips his chin in the direction Coulson walked.

"He's not letting go."

  
##

  
She waits until everyone has left the medbay.

He lingers, of course. Just the two of them.

"It's not your fight."

"Okay," he nods. "If you say so."

His totally passive behavior to this point is maddening, and after that conversation with May?

"Yes," she interrupts. "They're not hunting SHIELD, they're hunting Inhumans. This isn't HYDRA, it's people, everywhere. And they're afraid of us."

"Aren't those the same ideas that gave rise to HYDRA?"

He just wants her to talk it out, and pretend this isn't about something beyond them.

"The people that opposed them first were put into concentration camps," she says, still fuming at the idea that she's here and not out there protecting Inhumans. "And then how many people had to die to stop them? They're not putting us in camps this time."

She winces as she starts to take the gauntlets off herself.

"You're right," he nods, and holds out his hands to offer help. "That's one of the things I like about you."

She rolls her eyes. He's trying to be charming again. That's how she ended up here to begin with.

"You're perfectly capable of doing this all on your own, I know," he goes on, as he helps her take off the gauntlet on her left hand.

"But it's nice to have someone have your back," she finishes, and then rubs her fingers along the ache to her elbow.

"Yeah," he answers, agreeably.

Their eyes meet for a long moment, and then he smiles privately, and reaches for her other hand, when she stops him.

"I've got it. Thanks."

She sees the shift in his expression, as he tries to swallow the rejection.

It makes her hate herself even more.

He doesn't deserve this.

  
##

  
The problem is, she can't stop.

She told herself that if she just put distance between them, she could. It always worked for her. In the past.

Other people, the mission, being Inhuman.

But none of it is enough.

She'd almost convinced herself that she resented it. That it was just another way of being swayed, like Hive.

That her mother was right all along.

This time, it's her turn to hold on.

His big heart. His foolish, huge heart that she lodged in. That placed himself in death's path for her.

Robbie wasn't wrong, exactly.

"Dammit, Phil Coulson, where are you?" she mutters under her breath, using her powers to find him in the darkness.

She sent her team on without her, gave Elena explicit instructions of what to do, whether they make it out or not.

The heartbeat she's looking for, while everything else is screaming vibrations out at her. The pain from using her powers like this.

She will break herself, finally.

For him.

"Daisy?"

There's no light, so she only follows the sound of his voice.

Her hands find him first and her focus shifts.

"Can you move?"

"You came back for me."

"Yeah," she says, hefting him up, putting his arm around her shoulder. "If I didn't, I'd have to answer to May."

"For the rest of your life," he chuckles. "I can see why-"

They both go quiet, hearing the noise above as the explosives start to go off in the Watchdog compound.

"I told Elena-"

"You shouldn't have come back," he interrupts her, stern sounding.

"I was never great at following orders, either. You knew that."

  
##

"That's it? You're letting me walk-"

"I only wish I could do more. I thought, somehow, if you came back it would fix things."

He seems mystified by his own hopefulness.

That's so very Coulson. He shouldn't have to give that up, too.

"Yeah", she looks away from his eyes, unsure of how to say this.

"You knew better, of course," he adds. All warm, and knowing.

His trust in her is still unshaken, and she feels so grateful, so appreciated, she takes a step closer, gazing into his eyes.

She turns over her shoulder when Robbie clears his throat. She sees his watchful gaze on them.

"Um," he starts, when she narrows her eyes, "I'll just wait for Elena. Outside."

Coulson gives him a grateful smile as she turns back to him.

"It's not personal," she wants him to know. "I have to-"

"The Sokovia Accords. They need you."

Inhumans. Her mother was right all along.

"Yes," she breathes out, finally able to finish. "And you? How will you-"

"I'll manage," he says, with a tiny smile, his eyes turning shiny.

It's not very convincing. He swallows, and then ducks his head down.

She starts to say something, as the thought forms in her head, and bounces nervously, as his expression turns curious and he lifts his eyes to hers.

So she just does it.

Because she's not sure what this is between them any more? Only just-

His eyes stay closed for a moment, when their lips part, like he's trying to hold on to the moment.

She thinks he looks beautiful that way.

"Daisy," he hushes out, as he opens them, startled, and blue.

Like he's been scandalized. Like maybe he approves.

"I've always wanted to do that," she admits, cocky.

His eyes widen, like he's still trying to make sense of it, while the corner of his mouth turns up.

"Just, one of those things," she adds, running her hand along the arm of his jacket.

His smile grows wider, and she sees him run his thumb along the tip of his fingers, to keep them occupied as she steps backwards, away from him.

"Guys in suits?" She says taking a few more steps away. "Not so bad."

Flushed and smiling from ear to ear, she turns away from him.

For now.

It's a really good look on him.

The last thing she hears before Robbie starts talking to her outside is the sound of Lola's thrusters.

And a streak of red, as she pushes up into the air.


End file.
